Rear Platform Remarks in Arizona and New Mexico

[1.] WINSLOW, ARIZONA (11 a.m.)

It certainly is a pleasure. Thank you, Governor, very much. I have been going around the country telling the people what I think they should be interested in, and giving them my viewpoint on things as they exist. The last set speech was made in Los Angeles, Calif., and now I am on my way home. I am going back to Independence, Mo. and see the family, and then go on to Washington and finish up the necessary work that has to be done there when the Congress adjourns. I am sincerely hoping that some of the things in which I am vitally interested will be accomplished by that time.

I have had a most pleasant ride across this great State this morning. It certainly is a beautiful country. And I saw those wonderful pine forests, and had a chance to take a look at the Navajo reservation about which there has been so much talk, and about which we have been trying to do so much.

I am exceedingly fond of your two Arizona Senators. They are able and distinguished gentlemen, and they work for the interests of the country, and for the interests of Arizona. You have an able Congressman, also, from Arizona, with whom I am very well acquainted. I think very highly of him, also.

I certainly appreciate this wonderful turnout. It does your heart good, when people are so interested in seeing their Chief Executive, that they are willing to gather around from all the surrounding country, in order that they may see what he looks like.

There have been a great many stories told about the President of the United States. That is one of the privileges of this country, to say what you please about anybody you please--that is, if you can back it up!

You know, the greatest epitaph in the country is here in Arizona. It's in Tombstone, Ariz., and this epitaph says, "Here lies Jack Williams. He done his damndest." I think that is the greatest epitaph a man could have. Whenever a man does the best he can, then that is all he can do; and that is what your President has been trying to do for the last 3 years for this country.

I sincerely hope that you will familiarize yourselves with the issues, and when the lines are drawn, after these two great conventions meet, I want you to make up your minds to what you think is best for the country, and then do just that; and if I have been at all convincing, I know you will do the right thing.

[2.] GALLUP, NEW MEXICO (1:30 p.m.)

Thank you, Governor--thank you very much. My goodness, looks as if everybody in New Mexico is here! I have had a most pleasant trip across Arizona, and I am glad to come into New Mexico now and have a look at New Mexico and New Mexico's leading citizens.

You know, the President has been traveling across the country, giving the people a chance to look at him, and have a chance on his own account to look at the people. I have seen a lot of people, I have talked to a lot of people, and a lot of people have talked to me. And I think I have made it perfectly plain just what the issues are before the country now.

It is special privilege against the interest of the people as a whole.

That is the issue that has been plainly set out in the speeches which I have made at Chicago, at Omaha, at Butte, at Seattle, at Spokane, at San Francisco, and at Los Angeles yesterday afternoon.

I can't tell you how I have appreciated the chance to let people know just where I stand, and just what I look like. It may be a disappointment to some people, but at least you will know what sort of man you have for President, and just what he stands for.

The issues are clearly drawn, and then it is up to you to make up your mind whether you want the special privilege boys to run the country, or whether you want the country to be in the hands of people who are working for your interests.

You are going to elect a Senator here this fall. I hated to give him up as Secretary of Agriculture, because he was a good one. I have another good Secretary of Agriculture, but I always hate to lose a good man. I was sorry to see Senator Hatch retire from the Senate, but I know very well, when Anderson takes his place, that the policies and the outlook in the Senate will be carried on in a manner that will be in the interests of the people and in the interests of New Mexico.

[At this point the President introduced Mrs. Truman, Margaret Truman, former Secretary of Agriculture Clinton P. Anderson, Secretary of the Interior Julius A. Krug, and Under Secretary of the Interior Oscar L. Chapman. He then resumed speaking.]

They all seem to be silent, they are tongue-tied for some reason or other, so I guess I will have to do all the talking. I do appreciate the way the people have turned out, and the way the people have given me their attention, and the way they have listened to what I had to say.

I hope you will inform yourselves thoroughly on the facts as they are, and as I have tried to give them to you, and then use your own judgment, because the judgment of the people as a whole is always good. I have found that to be the truth.

Thank you very much.

[3.] ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (5:30 p.m.)

Thank you, Governor--thank you very much. It certainly is a pleasure and a privilege for me to be here today. I am more than happy to be in New Mexico. I am more than happy to be back in Albuquerque again. The first time I ever visited New Mexico was in 1909. My grandmother died when she was 91 years old, and one of the witnesses to her will lived in Estancia. We took those depositions in Frank Jenning's office. That has been a long time ago. And I have been back here to New Mexico on numerous occasions since then.

I was here once as the President of the National Old Trails and Roads Association, and we set up a monument to the Pioneer Mother here in Albuquerque. Had a great time on that trip, and I met a lot of people in New Mexico. It looks as if they are all here today.

The Mayor informs me that this is the biggest crowd that has ever been in Albuquerque. That certainly is a compliment to me, and I appreciate it.

You know, I started out on this trip with the idea in mind of seeing as many people as I could, and talking to as many people as I could, and letting as many people as possible see me, to see just exactly what I look like.

There has been a lot of conversation about what I look like, and what I can do, what I know and what I don't know; and I thought the people were entitled to know what I am thinking, and what I have in mind for the welfare of this country.

The issue now is squarely drawn. I drew that issue at Chicago, and Omaha, and Butte, and Spokane, and Seattle, and Tacoma, and Portland, and San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and here. They know now what I stand for, and what I have been trying to do. I have been pouring it on them, and they have got the jitters back there. They have gone to work--they have gone to work!

But I haven't been pouring anything on, only what ought to be poured on.

The issue in this country is between special privilege and the people.

I think I represent the people, and I am trying to tell the people just how I represent them.

For instance, you have an interest in flood control and irrigation and reclamation, and they are all of interest to a number of the great States in this Union. I have been visiting a number of those States who are interested in flood control and irrigation and reclamation, and I have been trying to get action on a project here on the Rio Grande River. It has passed the Senate. We hope it will pass the House. That is one of the reasons I came here, I wanted to needle them a little bit, to see if they won't get that project started.

Then you have another interest in this part of the world, and that is the cattle industry. We are short of beef in this country and in all the world, and I hope we can find a way to improve the situation so that we may increase the cattle product of this part of the world.

I know something about cattle in this part of the world, for my old uncle used to have a ranch down here, and he had a lot of cattle, and used to ship it to Kansas City. I remember that one time he shipped a train-load of cattle to Kansas City, and they didn't pay the freight. That was under a Republican administration, too. That is not the case now. When you ship a train-load of cattle to Kansas City now, you can buy the train and half the railroad with what you get; and I'm not sorry about that.

I do appreciate the cordiality of your welcome. I do appreciate your interest in your President. You have got a right to see him, you have got a right to know what he is thinking about. You have got a right to know what he wants to do, and you have got a right to know how he is proposing what he wants to do, if it is right; and I think it's right. I hope that you weigh that situation carefully.

One of the principal reasons why I came to Albuquerque was to pay my respects to my former Secretary of Agriculture, and a good one. You people are going to send him to the Senate, and I am happy over that, although I am extremely sorry that Senator Hatch has decided to retire from the Senate. If Senator Hatch had net decided to retire from the Senate, I would still have had Anderson for Secretary of Agriculture.

I have known Senator Hatch and Senator Chavez almost ever since I went to Washington. I served in the Senate with both of them. Mr. Anderson was in the House when I was in the Senate, and New Mexico has been well represented in the Senate and in the House. And I am glad that they are going to continue to be well represented in both of those bodies.

If we had more men like these gentlemen in the House and in the Senate, I wouldn't be having the trouble I am having--going around the country and throwing bricks at the Congress.

[4.] LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO (8:55 p.m.)

Thank you, Governor. This has been one wonderful day. I thought I had seen nearly all the people in New Mexico at Gallup. Then when I got to Albuquerque, it looked as if the people had come in from all the other States. The Mayor of Albuquerque told me it was the biggest crowd that had ever been out in Albuquerque. And now it looks as if Las Vegas has shown them all how.

I can't tell you how very much I appreciate this courtesy which you are paying me. I left Washington with the idea of seeing as many people as possible, and letting as many people as possible see me, to see just what I looked like.

You have heard so many descriptions of me, you have had so many people tell you what I am for and what I stand for, that I thought I would come out and tell you myself.

And I have gone the circuit, from Chicago to Seattle, to San Francisco, to Los Angeles, to Gallup, to Albuquerque and to Las Vegas, N. Mex. And everywhere I have been I have seen a lot of people, and I have talked to a lot of people, and a lot of people have talked to me. And I have found that people are interested in the welfare of this country, and that there is an issue between special privilege and the welfare of the people.

And I want you to distinctly understand that your President stands for the welfare of all the people. I have tried to make that perfectly plain to you in the swing around the country, and I hope I have been able to do that.

Then it is up to you to make your own decision as to whether you want special privilege to run the country, or whether you want the country in the hands of the people who look after the welfare of all the people and not just a few.

I have had with me in the Northwest, and here in New Mexico, the Secretary of the Interior, who is interested in reclamation and irrigation and flood control in all this section of the country. And we have a plan and a program which will meet the situation in every section of the country, if we can just get a Congress that will agree with us. That is what we are asking for. From the looks of things, I think we are going to get that sort of support.

As you know, from the beginning I have asked for the control of the high cost of living. We haven't received that control. We haven't had the authority to do what is necessary to have that. We have tried our best to keep a floor under agricultural products and a top on prices. If we can do that, then the country will be safe from inflation.

I came to New Mexico principally because I am interested in the welfare of my good friend Clinton Anderson, who was Secretary of Agriculture. The Governor here is a great friend of Mr. Anderson, and the Governor came with me to Las Vegas tonight especially to introduce me to you people in your own State. And I appreciate that most highly. I have had a most cordial reception in New Mexico. I hope when I come back, on a political tour, that I can discuss the issues thoroughly and completely with you.

Again, I can't tell you how very much I appreciate the cordiality of these receptions. Much more than we anticipated, and much more than some of the columnists who came along with me anticipated, too. And I am happy over that. Thank you very much.

[5.] RATON, NEW MEXICO (11:25 p.m.)

It is a very great pleasure to see you tonight. I appreciate very much your staying up this late in order to see your President. It is a very high compliment to me, and I appreciate it more than I can tell you.

I have been touring the country so that you could see me, so that you could hear me, so that you can understand the things for which I stand, so that you could intelligently decide at a later date, when I make a political tour of the country, whether it is to your interest to have me to remain in the White House or not. That is for you to decide. You will have to make up your mind whether you want special privilege government, or whether you want government of, by, and for the people. You are going to have that decision to make this fall.

I am very happy to see that some of the speeches which I have made seem to have had a very good effect on the Congress. They are performing a little bit better. It is a long way for them to go yet, if they are to work in the public interest, this 80th Congress.

And that is for you to decide. When that matter does come up for your decision, I want you to weigh the facts, and then make the decision on what you think is best for the United States of America and for the world.

You see, this country now has a responsibility that no other country in the history of the world has ever had. This country is the greatest country in the world. We must assume the leadership which God Almighty intended us to assume in 1920. In order to do that, we must have a sound economy, we must have a strong agricultural program, and we must have a foreign policy which we have been pursuing for the last 6 years implemented so that it will work. And that means that we want to support the United Nations with everything we have. That is what we have been doing right along.

We must then be able to maintain our financial stability and our prosperity here at home. In order to do that, we must see that farmers are prosperous, that labor has good jobs at good wages, and that the rest of the population is not choked to death with high prices.

All three of those things are of vital interest to you, right here and now--the things I have been fighting for ever since September 1945, when I sent my first message to Congress, on the 6th day of September. I sent them a message on the State of the Union in January 1946, and several other supplemental messages during 1946. That is when they let price control get out of hand, when prices began to spiral. In 1947 I sent them another message in which I set out what I thought was proper for the State of the Union, and what would be best for this country; and last fall, in November, when I called a special session, I asked for a 10-point program-none of which I got.

Then in January, I reiterated the situation of the country and what I thought was necessary for its welfare and benefit. It became necessary for me to start out, a couple of weeks ago, and go through the country and personally tell the people what the situation is.

I think they understand it now, and when it comes time to make the decision, I am willing to trust the people, because I think you will make the decision in your own interest.

Thank you very much.